Hospital car-in-pond incident remains a mystery

Car never reported stolen, official says

By TARAH THORNE – tthorne @shawmedia.com

Aug. 13, 2014

BARRINGTON – A full investigation into an empty security vehicle that was found while draining a pond on the campus of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington found nothing suspicious, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said.

The Ford Taurus hospital car went missing nearly 20 years ago, but was recovered by construction workers July 10 at the bottom of a 13-foot pond in front of the hospital, on the south side of the campus, hospital spokeswoman Erin Abbey said.

Sheriff's office spokeswoman Sara Balmes said the vehicle was never reported stolen, according to police records. However, Abbey said the hospital's public safety management team is sure a report was filed 17 years ago.

Balmes said investigators concluded there was "nothing suspicious" about the car when it was pulled from the water.

"There was never any person reported to be involved or missing," Balmes said. "It could have been parked, but not placed in park, and rolled into the pond."

Because of the car's rusty condition, investigators could not determine what gear the car had been in at the time, Balmes added.

The pond has now been filled with dirt and will be finished into an additional parking lot for the hospital, Abbey said.

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